A Q&A with the founder of Sanctus Stones

Heidi Dugan, co-creator of motivational jewellery company Sanctus Stones, tells us how she hopes to grow the business by keeping it in the family.

How did your mother, Wendy Dugan, become interested in crystals and affirmations?

She started using crystals when we were really small, from a natural urge to create good energy and make the home a nicer place to be in. We were also taught really early that you have to be careful what you say to other people and also to yourself. The words we use really train our minds. My mother and father wanted to instil in their kids that these things were really important. Mum started using crystals more about 20 years ago and learning more about them; she was quite passionate about it. Then she started creating her own crystal jewellery.

How did Sanctus Stones get its start?

So many people were asking Mum to make jewellery. It was taking up a lot of time and she was doing it for free. She’s an amazing person; she’s so happy to share with other people. I said to her, “There are so many people who would benefit from your pieces and would love them and if you set up a business you could reach more people.” So we decided to start our business.

You and your sister Ann Marie Coe are both involved in Sanctus Stones. What are your roles?

The three of us are all directors and look after the strategy of the company. My mother looks after design, creation, blessing, packaging, orders — everything to do with the physical product. I look after marketing and the day-to-day running of the company. My sister looks after social media and she also connects with industry specialists so we can supply their knowledge to our customers. For instance, we’ve just paired up with Jess Ainscough, the Wellness Warrior. We’ve created a piece for her and everyone who buys it gets a free ebook, Make Peace with Your Plate, and the first part of her course. We’re all about equipping people with as much as we can to make sure they are able to succeed in their goal.

Why do you combine both crystals and affirmations in your jewellery?

We create our pieces as tools to achieve success and happiness in whatever area you want. The affirmation is something you can carry around and say to yourself, so you’re actually programming your mind, whereas the crystals work on their own. Each piece is about reprogramming your mind and the way you act, so you start to create different results and achieve what you want.

Which pieces do you personally find most powerful?

The one piece I won’t take off is the Clear Mind Bright Future. I used it and programmed it to help me to get perspective. I also wear Let Go Of Stress. You use the pieces to train your habits. Once you’ve done that, you continue to wear them because they’ll act as a trigger.

Why do you want to keep your company small?

We were brought up in a unique environment that was filled with love, with the belief that education was important, that the words we use feed the brain and that the food that we eat feeds the body. We’re in a unique position where we can increase that circle of our family to a much bigger circle. I think a lot of people don’t have that support, so we want to provide that for them. Also, we want to create service that wows our customers.

You’re also a popular TV presenter in Shanghai, China, with the cooking show You Are the Chef. Tell us about that.

My background is in acting and when I moved to Shanghai 19 years ago I started to work at a TV station. Thirteen years ago they created You Are the Chef. It’s now a daily show, aired three times a day, and it’s got millions of followers. We work with five-star hotel chefs so we get a lot of great tips about how to do things quickly and easily and also to make them look great. But I’m not a foodie; I’m just passionate about what goes into my body to make sure it’s healthy. I only have to film once a week and the rest of the time I can look after the business and my family and two children, so I lead a really balanced life.

Where to from here for Sanctus Stones?

One of our goals this year is to be able to expand the business and to bring other people into this growing group of friends and family. And we’re focused on creating relationships with industry experts so our customers can get more information to support them on their journey and help them enjoy the process — because the three of us are enjoying the journey so much and enjoy being able to share it with everyone.